Jackson County, Illinois: drinking water report. Jackson County in southern Illinois has about 56,000 residents, with Carbondale (home to Southern Illinois…
Jackson County in southern Illinois has about 56,000 residents, with Carbondale (home to Southern Illinois University) as the largest community. The county draws water from Crab Orchard Lake, Cedar Lake, and groundwater wells. Southern Illinois coal mining history and the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge – which includes a Superfund site – create the county's water quality landscape.
The Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge Superfund site encompasses former WWII ordnance manufacturing areas that produced explosives and later commercial products. According to EPA's 2024 remediation report, groundwater contamination from the facility includes PCBs, VOCs, and heavy metals. The contamination is concentrated around the former industrial areas and is being contained, but Crab Orchard Lake – which serves as both a water supply source and the refuge's central feature – has documented PCB contamination in sediment and fish.
Coal mine drainage in Jackson County impairs several tributaries of the Big Muddy River. Illinois EPA's 2024 assessment documented elevated iron and sulfate in streams near abandoned mines in the county's western portion.
Jackson County's combination of Superfund contamination and coal mine legacy means water quality depends on your specific source. Carbondale's treated water from Cedar Lake is separate from Crab Orchard Lake and meets all standards.
Check your water for data at your location. For private well users near the Superfund site or mining areas, a comprehensive test panel is worthwhile. Our water filter guide covers systems for both industrial and mining-related contamination. Pull your detailed report for local data, and visit our Illinois page for statewide patterns.